Marsilam and the making of Gus Dur's speech
JAKARTA (JP): Following the barrage of criticism of President Abdurrahman Wahid's performance at Thursday's interpellation hearing, many have questioned the person behind the President's controversial speech.
While few doubt the speech reflected the President's view on the interpellation motion, many have pointed to Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak as the man who put Abdurrahman's feelings into words.
Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Marzuki Darusman cited Marsilam as the man who led the team which assisted Abdurrahman in drafting the 17-page speech, which was read to the House by State Secretary Djohan Effendi.
Yusril, who was a professor of law at the University of Indonesia, said he had offered to help draft the speech. However, the President refused his offer.
"Gus Dur, with this problem of the interpellation, do you need any assistance from me?" Yusril recounted saying to the President. "But Gus Dur replied, 'No, thank you. I already have Marsilam.'"
Marzuki Darusman said on Saturday, "Pak Marsilam led the team which drafted the speech."
The contents of the speech sparked controversy even before it was delivered, with several people close to Abdurrahman objecting to its contents, particularly its condemnation of the interpellation motion as unconstitutional.
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri was said to be among those who objected to some of the speech's contents. Sources said she told Marsilam and Djohan Effendi she would not read the speech to the House because she did not agree with its contents.
Abdurrahman made a last-minute call to attempt to convince Megawati to read the speech. "The President telephoned Ibu early on Thursday morning, but she asked him to ask one of his secretaries to read the speech," sources close to Megawati said.
Some people have opined that even Abdurrahman may have been slightly uncomfortable during the four-hour session at the House.
"Even the Vice President felt like she was sitting on a hot seat during the session," said one official.
After the session at the House, the President asked Marsilam to accompany him to Merdeka Palace in the presidential limousine.
Abdurrahman appears to trust Marsilam's honesty and integrity. They have been friends since childhood and were neighbors in Matraman, Central Jakarta.
Marsilam graduated from the University of Indonesia's School of Medicine in 1971. He was detained for 17 months without trial in 1974 for his alleged involvement in the Malari riot.
Along with Abdurrahman, he was one of the cofounders of the Forum Demokrasi.
"Please do not ask me any questions," Marsilam replied when The Jakarta Post contacted him on Saturday.
Soften
Marsilam also appears to have had a main role in drafting the President's written reply to the House's questions, which was delivered on Friday. However, several of the President's confidants reportedly beseeched him to soften his stance in the written reply.
"Please ask Marsilam about the speech," Alwi replied to journalists as his left the State Secretariat on Friday afternoon, accompanied by Minister of Mines and Energy Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Marzuki and State Secretary Djohan Effendi.
According to sources, Susilo, Marzuki and Alwi persuaded the President to soften his stance and apologize for the controversial speech.
As of Friday afternoon, Abdurrahman was still refusing to apologize, even hinting there were attempts by certain groups to topple him from the presidency.
"Some people have political ambitions without being aware of the limits," the President said at the State Palace as he opened the Employees Cooperative conference.
According to the head of the Presidential Protocol Bureau, Wahyu Muryadi, after lunch on Friday the President called House Speaker Akbar Tandjung to ask him to extend the deadline to deliver the written reply to midnight on Friday. Akbar apparently conceded.
Another meeting was later held and Abdurrahman's aides convinced him some form of apology was necessary to cool the heated situation. (prb)